Cefalù is a fishing village and popular beach resort on the north coast of Sicily, Italy. Cefalù is one of the most important seaside towns in region with history dating back during the Greek period in Sicily. The village is a gateway to the Madonie mountains and also a starting point to travel the Aeolian Islands.

Understand

Despite its size, it attracts a significant flow of local, national and foreign tourists every year. The city's cathedral is included into the Arab-Norman Palermo site and the cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale in 2015 was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Cefalu centre

Get in

By train

Frequent trains run to and from Palermo, Milazzo and Messina. From Messina, many continue on to Naples and Rome. The train from Palermo costs €5.60 and takes one hour running right along the coast.

By bus

Several buses a day run to Castelbuono and Palermo from outside Cefalù's train station. As with the train, the journey from Palermo is about 1 hour.

By boat

During the summer, a few hydrofoils run to Palermo and the Aeolian Islands.

By car transfer

There are many private car rentals and transfers operated by locals and offers airport transfer from Palermo Airport to Cefalù.

Get around

Cefalù is small enough to get around on foot. However, you can rent a car to see sites outside of the town.

• MediTravel, P.zza Garibaldi, 12, ☏ +39 0921 420441. Car and bus rentals. 

See

Cefalu Cathedral

• Cathedral (Duomo) dominates the centre of town. It is the site of Byzantine mosaics different from the Norman/Arab ones at Monreale. It's on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
• Mandralisca Museum with the Ritratto d'ignoto marinaio or Ritratto d'uomo (Portrait of a Man) painting by Antonello da Messina.

Do

The Byzantine mosaics in the Cathedral

• Climb The Rock (La Rocca) for great views of the red-roofed town and beautiful bay area as well as a visit to Diana's Temple (Tempio di Diana). Follow the brown signs to Tempio di Diana from the town's main street. You can get some great views from just a quarter of the way up, but to reach the top and the ruins of the 4th-century Tempio di Diana, you will probably have to pay €5 at the entrance to the archaeological site. From there, the enormous Salita Sareceno staircase climbs up to the top, passing several other ruins marking the town's former hilltop position before the Norman conquest in 1063.
• Walk 15 minutes east around the headland to the bustling tourist port, full of fishing boats and islets.
• Visit the harbour - Piazza Marina.
• Relax on the beach - one of the best in Sicily. The beach is divided into different sections, some with umbrellas and beach chairs set up that you can rent. The price, from about €8 to 15, decreases the further you walk along the beach.

Eat

There are plenty of local restaurants around the old town.

Sleep

There are several hotels dotted around town. A room can be found as cheap as €20 for two people in the old town. A tourist map may have its location, but the friendly locals may also be able to point you in the right direction. A four-star waterfront hotel is also available on the main street that runs along the beach.

• Hotel Al Pescatore, Contrada Calura, 7. 1 km away from the centre, the hotel offers 28 rooms equipped with the best comforts: private bathroom with shower, hairdryer, TV, direct telephone and air conditioning. 
• Hotel Tourist Cefalù, Lungomare G. Giardina (a 10-minute drive from highway A20 and 500 m from Cefalù train station), ☏ +39 0921 421 750, info@touristhotel.it. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 10:30. Has 46 comfortable rooms, most with balconies and sea views, accompanied by satellite TV, Wi-Fi, minibar, telephone, safe, hairdryer, and individual air conditioning. From €148. (updated Jul 2019)
• Hotel Museo Albergo Atelier sul mare, Via Cesare Battisti 4 - Castel di Tusa, ☏ +39 0921 334295. Original design hotel on the sea. All the rooms are designed and realised by different artists. From €120-220. 
• Casa Vacanze Cicerone, Via Bagni di Cicerone 21, ☏ +39 0921 921593. (updated Feb 2015)

Go next

• The Aeolian Islands are worth at least a day trip.